Exclusive Photos of the new Calibre 59210

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The new Calibre 59210 is used in the new Portofino Handwound watch and is an IWC in-house movement. What is interesting is that it is based on the Calibre 5000 from 2000, which in improved variations is used in many of IWC's largerautomatic watches (the Ref. 5001, the Big Pilot's Watch, etc.). But it is not just taking the Cal. 5xxxx automatic movement and removing the rotor. Instead the entire gear train, date and escapement are new --it is a complete revision. The movement also has direct seconds, which is not the case in the automatic Cal. 5xxxx movements.

As you may note, the movement has a free-sprung balance rather than a regulator like the Cal. 98xxx movements:

As before, these images are for the exclusive use of the Collectors' Forum on this website and IWC. They should not be reporduced elsewhere, including by links to the images. Thanks for your understanding.

One question : do you know why IWC hasn't given this movement to a Portuguese, as it represents so well an extension to the rest of this family? It seems that the Portofino line is upgrading in class and price range, and this may lead to a certain confusion between those two families, imho.

A pocket watch 28.800 v/h with free sprung, Ariosto Jones would be delighted!

Thank you Michael for the fast technical info, always first to know.

At the right time it will be very interesting to see what's below the bridges, spring barrel, (probably)differential, coggings, everything brand new. I wonder if the hand-setting mechanism remains the same.

May this caliber represent the end of cal 98XXX? Technically, for the few I know, 59210 looks superior to me in any respect - imho.

Greg, Yes indeed - almost the first thing (after the size) that I noticed. Could it be that modern technology, is doing away with "old rules" , and that possibly these new movements are very efficient? I am most interested to learn more of this calibre in it's reworked form.